The Divine Empress

Chapter 17

With the return of Lucy, Nagi, Wendy, and the exceeds, the guild was abuzz with joy and laughter.

"So how was Ryuzetsu Island?" Yukino asked. 

"It was awesome! Mama and Wendy were dying on the Cliff Diver!" Nagi exclaimed, telling Yukino all about it. From behind, a hand was laid upon Lucy's head. 

"Welcome back, blondie!" Sting said, an arrogant smirk on his face as always. 

"I'm back," Lucy replied as she swatted his hand off her head. 

"No problems occurred there right?" Rogue asked. 

"Just a bunch of fairies that appeared," Wendy replied back. "But it was nothing." 

"Fairy Tail also went?" Minerva suddenly strolled over upon hearing the mention of "fairies". "Did they cause any trouble for you guys?" 

"Not really. Just interrupted our meal time," Lucy said stoically. She didn't really care about what had happened anymore.

"My god. It's like they're stalking you," Minerva said annoyingly as she took a seat next to Lucy. 

Sting, Rogue, Wendy, Lector, and Frosch nodded in agreement. 

"So...should we go on a mission?" Sting asked. "We haven't really gone on one in a while and we have to pay the monthly rent soon." 

"Oh, right. Sting-san and Rogue-san live in an apartment right?" Wendy said. 

"Yeah," Rogue nodded. 

"I'm down for it. It just happened that I also needed some money on me," Lucy said, standing up. 

"Then shall we go on a mission, Wendy?" Yukino smiled.

"En!" Wendy stood up excitedly. The two walked away to the request board and took a request, got it approved, and went out the guild. As Sting, Rogue, Lucy, Nagi, and Minerva were about to stand up to get a request, too, someone called out to them. 

"Oi! Sting, Rogue, Lucy, Nagi, Minerva! Master's calling for you guys!" 

The group looked at each questioningly before going up the second floor to Jiemma's office. Minerva knocked on the door. 

"Come in," Jiemma replied. 

The five of them went in with their exceeds following them in before closing the door. 

"Is there something that you need, Master?" Lucy asked.

"To suddenly call all of us here...is it something major, Father?" Minerva asked. 

Jiemma nodded his head grimly but soon sighed. "Honestly, I would've just asked Lucy and Nagi to go since they're more than enough. But just in case, I'll be sending you three along, too." 

The five of them nodded. Whatever it was, they knew that Lucy and Nagi alone would have been enough to handle the situation. 

"So what is it?" Sting asked, getting straight to the topic. 

"It's a mission that was given to us from the Council. The other guilds have received it as well. It's to the east of Fiore and it's going to be a month long mission. Apparently, dark guilds have been growing there and the empire to the east, the Kou empire, has to get through there. You know how important the Kou empire is to Fiore. So the Council requested us to go clear the dark guilds there and let the Kou empire people to travel freely." 

"Is the Kou empire coming here within a month?" Lucy said, perfectly calm while the others had shocked expressions on their faces.

Jiemma nodded. Lucy looked down in thought but soon looked up again. Nagi saw the look in his mother's eyes and smiled. She's going to do it.